The PSOE councillor Isidro Grao has criticised the management of the Orihuela Council’s Department of Markets, led by namesake Noelia Grao, for losing European funds allocated to the Paseo Calvo Sotelo project.
Initially budgeted at €95,000 with European Next Generation funds covering the additional €471,600, delays in processing the tender caused the project to lose its subsidy. As a result, the total cost has now surged to €612,804, including a €45,414 surcharge for late payment interest.
Grao stated the project was ready for tendering in April 2023 under the former socialist councillor Ángel Luis Muñoz Grau. However, Grao only initiated the tender process in August 2024, far too late to meet the European deadlines.
Grao accused her of mismanaging the file and deflecting blame onto council staff and the previous government team rather than accepting responsibility.
The loss of €471,600 in European funds has directly impacted Orihuela’s citizens, forcing the Council to bear the additional €517,014 expense. Grao also criticized the mayor for failing to hold his councillors accountable and instead reallocating over €600,000 from the municipal budget to cover the shortfall.
He argued that if this situation had occurred in a private company, such mismanagement would have had disciplinary consequences.
Grao emphasized that the delay has undermined the council’s efficiency and cost citizens significantly. He dismissed Noelia Grao’s explanation that the work was delayed to avoid interfering with Easter celebrations, stating the project should have been completed by then if properly managed.
Concluding, Grao called for responsible and efficient governance, arguing this mismanagement demonstrates the government team’s inability to address the city’s challenges effectively.
